Savannah music fest expands into opera

NEW YORK, US- The Savannah Music Festival, an annual collection of performances that strives to cross genres, announced Wednesday that it would expand into opera for its 2015 season.
The festival said that it would stage two one-act operas by Puccini -- "Suor Angelica" and "Gianni Schicchi" -- featuring the Savannah Philharmonic during the March 19-April 4 event in the southern US state of Georgia.

The festival's reputation has been enhanced by acclaimed British violinist Daniel Hope, who has served as associate artistic director since 2004. For the 2015 season, he will curate a 10-concert series of chamber music, the festival said in an announcement. The festival also said it would broaden its international component. Non-US performers will include the traditional Irish band Lunasa and the Japanese taiko drum ensemble Kodo, which will bring to the United States its "Mystery" tour that explores folk traditions. Popular artists scheduled to appear at the festival include the singer/songwriters Josh Ritter, Lucinda Williams and Roseanne Cash, the daughter of late country legend Johnny Cash. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------